Unforgiven and Unforgotten
by ValandMarcelle
Summary: In which Romeo realizes that his past is not as far behind him as he had hoped, even on his wedding day.
1. Chapter 1

**If you think I'm going to start writing happy things any time soon, you are very much mistaken.**

**I have a very sad headcanon that I couldn't resist writing about, and this is the first chapter of the product of my twisted mind. It was orignally going to be a oneshot, bur eventually I decided to make it a multichapter story, mostly because I needed to post something and because Midnight is giving me unnecessary amounts of difficulty at the moment. Anyway, here's a thing.**

**Enjoy!**

**-Marcelle**

* * *

Romeo adjusts his tie in the mirror. At twenty years old, it's the first one he's ever owned. Jack is the one to give it to him.

"Look, kid, this is real important_,"_ he says, holding the tie in both palms as though it was a sacred item. Jack refuses to stop referring to Romeo as "kid," even when he'd turned eighteen, but Romeo has found that he doesn't mind as much today. It's nice to hear something familiar before his life changes for good. Reassuring, almost, reminding him of where he's been and where he's going. He'll always be a kid to Jack, and that's fine with him.

"This is gonna be the biggest day of your life, you understand?" Jack continues, looking Romeo dead in the eyes. Romeo has grown considerably in the years following the strike, but even his growth spurt hasn't made him taller than Jack.

"Yeah, I know."

He still looks up at his big brother, and prepares himself for the speech he knows he's about to hear. Jack has always been a man of many words, and Romeo thinks he can predict his next ones.

It'll be a speech about growing up, about how it's time to be serious, but also that he's about to enter the best years of his life. Jack will mention himself and Katherine, the happy marriage they share with their daughter Elizabeth. He'll promise that things won't always be perfect, but they'll always be a family. Romeo has known this before Jack even opens his mouth.

"So you can't think about...him, alright? Don't let that son of a - don't let him get to you."

Romeo's eyes grow wider at the words. No, this isn't what he had been expecting at all.

"No, I...I know," He takes a deep breath, forcing his mind to stop searching for the memory that automatically accompanies Jack's advice. Their former leader is right, he can't allow the past to spoil his future. He can't let himself wish for something that was ruined a long time ago. It's haunted him for four years, and four years is enough.

"Good. This is about you, Romeo, not about him. You deserve this," Jack assures him, and proceedes to fasten the tie around Romeo's neck. He doesn't protest, because he knows this is the kind of thing Jack misses the most. Jack is a caregiver by nature, and so Romeo stands and lets him fuss over him for a few moments.

It provides a decent enough distraction from the one thought that threatens to ruin him, because he knows that in any other circumstances, there would have be someone else in the room with him now. But this person is gone. He isn't coming back, and Romeo has to accept that.

He has to, or he'll be stuck as a broken sixteen-year-old forever. And he can't be that on his wedding day.

"You ready for this, kid?" Jack takes a step back and allows Romeo to admire himself in the mirror, the tie around his neck a new and strangely fascinating sight to him. It seems to spark something in him, a flash of sudden illumination that shows him that this is real. He's going to get married.

He's going to have a wife, a family. Not that the newsies have ever been less than family to Romeo, but Isabelle is someone he can call his own, and the tie somehow affirms the idea in his own mind. He's almost in a certain awe of the clothing article before reminding himself that he had an audience.

"Yeah. I mean, I'm as ready as I'll ever be," he admits, sheepishly ducking his head a bit before looking back into the mirror. Jack smiles at his reflection, seeming happy, but Romeo catches the glint of pity in his eyes, pity that he does want in the slightest. Jack has no reason to pity him today.

"Then let's getting the wedding ball rollin', huh?" Jack declares instead, clapping Romeo on the back to snap him out of his thoughts and making him grin at the thought of what he's about to do. Jack twists the doorknob, holding it open for Romeo as he takes a final deep breath. It's time to start a new chapter.

He leaves the room and heads down the aisle to the alter. He passes each of his brothers, except for one.

Even Davey and Les are here, Davey having returned from Harvard Law for the occasion despite Romeo's insistence that he wasn't worth the trip. But Davey had assured him that it wasn't an issue, and now he beams as Romeo stands near the only priest the newsies had been able to afford.

They had all chipped in to make this wedding happen, just as they had done for Jack and just as they swore they'd do for each one of their brothers. Everyone had contributed whatever they could, and Romeo swells with gratitude as he gazes out at each one of them now.

They're all grinning at him, dressed in their relative finery and looking at him with such a pride in their eyes that Romeo isn't entirely sure he's earned. Because even now, after he's sworn to them that he's moved on, he's still searching the crowd for one face he knows he'll never see again.

Instead, he finds Jack's smile and returns it, letting his childhood role model steady him in the final moments he has left to be a child. He treasures this time, and it seems as though not even a second has gone by before Romeo turns his head to see Isabelle walking down the aisle. Her face is veiled, but Romeo knows from the countless times he's admired her, whether she had known it or not, that she'll be as beautiful as she somehow manages to always be.

Soon, the veil is lifted, the vows are exchanged, a kiss is shared, a rowdy crowd of former newsboys is cheering much louder than necessary, and Romeo is leading his new wife out of the church and to Jacobi's, where the reception is being held. It's right down the street, a convience that has spared them the expense of finding their own transportation, and Mr. Jacobi has been the epitome of cooperation.

Not only has he allowed his loyal customers back into their old haunt, he's even hired a band and cleared away the tables to form a makeshift dance floor. It's much more than Romeo would have expected, but he doesn't discourage the purchases. He knows Mr. Jacobi would not have done any of this if he hadn't wanted to.

He twirls Isabelle around time after time to the beat of the music, takes in the sight and sounds of his family enjoying themselves around him, and it is almost enough to distract him. It is almost enough to make him forget everything his sixteen year old self has forced him to remember. Romeo begins to think that he can leave it all behind him.

That's when he feels a tap on his shoulder, and a voice in his ear.

"Looks like you found your Juliet, huh?"

**Ooh, mystery! I know this was not very clear as to who the person was, but it might be clear to anyone familiar with my other works and my percieved relationships between the characters. Then it's probably easy. XD Well, as always, please don't forget to review! Prompts and suggestions are happily welcomed and accepted as well! Midnight is not abandoned, I swear, in case there was confusion. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**What have I done.**

**So, seeing some updates from my favorite authors pretty much inspired me to get back to writing today, since I've been busy with the actual heck that is tech week in the musical world as well as the shows themselves, as well as the other drama that unfortunately consitutes life. I've also been a little (a lot) obsessed with Big Hero 6, and I have a series in that fandom if anyone is interested.**

**But, all that aside, here I am with another installment. I'm kind of sorry for this, but not really.**

**Enjoy!**

**-Marcelle**

* * *

Romeo spins around and punches Racetrack Higgins harder than he's ever hit anything in his entire life. He sees his fist collide with skin and doesn't care.

He doesn't care that his wife gasps in surprise, doesn't care that he's clearly just broken a promise to his family, doesn't care that he thinks he also hears the breaking of bone.

All he can feel is anger, a surging, red-hot anger that consumes him like a flame. There is absolutely no reason his former brother should be here, and Romeo wants him to just disappear. He wants Race to leave and never try to worm his way into their lives again. He's done enough damage already.

"Get out."

Romeo tosses the words in Race's face, where his nose is apparently broken and is releasing a continuous thin stream of blood. He can hear his voice reverberating in the silence that has suddenly overtaken the room, and he wishes the rest of them didn't have to see this. It's only between Romeo and the traitor hunched in front of him.

"I take it you ain't so pleased ta see me, huh?" Race retorts, his sarcastic nature never seeming to die even when he knows he is hated by the vast majority of the room. Romeo despies the fact that the sound of Race's teasing voice is reawakening memories he had been trying so hard to leave dormat.

He's starting to remember when they were brothers. When Romeo would crawl into Race's bed when his dreams were plagued by nightmares, when Race would somehow find a nickel he swore up and down he didn't have a minute ago, before he knew Romeo hadn't been eating.

When Race promised him that, no matter what, he would be there. When he swore on his life he'd never let anything hurt him, and then had been the very reason Romeo had sobbed in secret for a week straight when he was sixteen years old.

"What part of your screwed-up head makes you think it's okay to be here?" He's shouting now, his voice raw with emotion that threatens to break as he stares down the man in front of him. Race has changed in the four years Romeo has tried to forget him, his hair longer and his frame taller, but he still has that cigar clamped between his teeth. And, just like the boy he'd been, Race seems not to harbor a single shred of regret. He merely shrugs his shoulders.

"I had to see off my baby brother on his weddin' day, didn't I?"

"I ain't your brother anymore," Romeo rejects him immediately, thanking everything good that he manages to keep the tremble he feels in his body out of the last word. Isabelle reaches out to take his arm, and Romeo hates himself for jerking away from the touch. But he doesn't want her to get involved, doesn't want any of his anger to somehow be directed at her. It's time to wrestle with his demons as they stand before him.

"Look, Romeo, if this is about that night a couple years ago..." Race trails off, glancing around the room before realizing that the rest of the newsies don't know the real story. All they know is that Race had abandoned them, because it was all Romeo had been able to admit. He hadn't ever been able to relive the rest. "Can't we jus' leave that in the past?"

"No." Race will not be forgiven so easily.

"You're still mad? Geez, kid, you need to learn when to let go-"

_"That's what I've been trying to do!"_

Suddenly, inexplicably, he's crying. Big tears are leaking from the corners of his eyes, and everything in Romeo's body hurts. How could one former friend make him feel this way? Why can he not pull it together for something as important as this?

Isabelle comes up behind him again, begins to rub his shoulder and hug his arm comfortingly, sending a glare over his shoulder. Romeo finds a small part of him now that is exceedingly grateful for her, an overwhelming joy that he has her now and forever. But still, he can't speak.

"What are you doing here, Race?" Jack finally steps up, just as Romeo should have known he would do eventually. Jack's words surge with venom, and he doesn't even know the reason why he should be angry. He still doesn't know what Race has really done.

"I actually did come for the weddin', Kelly. I know you think I ain't worth nothin', but I do care about you guys," Race fires back, no less poisonous. The boys begin to murmur, their tones clearly painted with doubt. Race's claim contradicts loudly with his actions, and Romeo feels a certain amount of pride that the rest of them see it, too. After all, he isn't the only one Race had turned his back on.

"Really, Race? 'Cause last time I checked, family didn't run out on family!" Jack takes a step towards him, and Romeo knows Jack would have done some serious damage if Katherine had not kept a tight grip on his arm. Jack sighs, and he glances apologetically at Romeo. But it isn't his fault.

"I did what I had ta do, alright? There wasn't anything left for me to stay for around 'ere," Race defends himself, but his argument is weak. Romeo knows the entire room is filled with enough reasons for anyone to stay. They all came to his wedding.

"Ain't we worth it, Race?" Jack's face falls as far as Romeo feels his heart dropping. He's been dreading words like that for four years.

"Obivously we aren't," Romeo forces himself to admit it, looking at Racetrack dead in the eyes and letting him know just how much he is hated.

"Why don't I tell them, Race? Why don't I tell them about the night you stole from he lodging house?"

* * *

**I never could bring myself to imagine a happy ending for Racetrack Higgins. I wish I ciuld, but I realistically couldn't see it happening. And because I love Romeo, I had to throw him inot the angsty mix. Anyway, feel free to check out my other stuff, such as my Big Hero 6 story, or Distant Melody. But thanks for reading this one, too! Don't forget to review or leave prompts, those are always nice. I'll try to either finish this or update Midnight next. Thanks for reading!**


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